Jack Frost and the Eternal Flower
by Sakura Martinez
Summary: The annual Flower Festival is underway and Jack Frost wants to give something special to Toothiana. But with his powers, he is reminded of his inability to do just that. With time running out, what can the Guardian of Fun and Mischief do?
1. Jack Frost and the Eternal Flower

**A Rise of the Guardians / Guardians of Childhood Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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**Author's Notes:**

Hello, everyone! I'm back to writing again fanfics again. I know, it's been quite a long break. Readers of the Rise of the Fright Knights are probably anticipating the sequel (and it is on its way, but first, let me finish releasing the three-volume ebook version of said fanfic). Anyways, the idea for this particular fanfic came to me while I was fixing the RotFK for the ebook version (first volume is, by the way, already up. Just check my blog to get the link). I wanted to write something that allows a glimpse on how Jack Frost interacts with the other spirits. I am thinking of writing these one-shots and compiling them all here, if you guys are interested (and if you have any requests, don't hesitate to voice them out).

Also, I have placed this within the same universe as I have created in the Rise of the Fright Knights.

With that said, I hope you all enjoy reading and don't forget to review!

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**Disclaimer**: I do not own Rise of the Guardians or the Guardians of Childhood series. It would have been awesome if I did, but I don't. Those belong to William Joyce and Dreamworks Animation.

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**Summary**: The annual Flower Festival is underway and Jack Frost wants to give something special to Toothiana. But with his powers, he is reminded of his inability to do just that. Thankfully, Valentina Lovecraft—the Spirit of Pure Love—is there to help.

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**Jack Frost and the Eternal Flower**

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Jack Frost, Guardian of Fun and Mischief, had always been proud of what he could do. While some spirits might not think much of his powers and what he could give to children—some even wondering what good snow could do—the Winter Spirit wouldn't trade it for anything. He was perfectly happy being able to provide children an opportunity to play and enjoy their childhood. After all, who doesn't like a snow day?

It took one particular incident to make Jack infuriated with his powers, however. And it so happens to also be one of the first celebrations he had with the entire spirit community.

The spirit community has a lot of events and activities, parties they celebrate with everyone. Back when Jack had a notoriety that came along with him, he had always wondered what it would feel like to be a part of those celebrations for he was never invited. And so, when he accepted to become a member of the Guardians of Childhood, the Guardian of Fun and Mischief made sure to accept every invitation that made its way to him. Of course, there were some spirits who thought he only did so because it provided him with a perfect venue and opportunity to instigate pranks and allowed him to be mischievous. They never knew that Jack didn't need to do anything and that these events themselves were plenty of fun.

Amongst the many aforementioned celebrations was the Flower Festival that the spirits enjoy during the entire month of May. It is a festival where the earth and flower spirits are in charge of. During this festival, spirits exchange gifts—preferably flowers or something made from it—to other female spirits that they like, appreciate, and care about.

When Jack Frost first heard about the Flower Festival, he realized that it would be the perfect opportunity to get Toothiana something; to show her how thankful he was to have someone like her by his side.

Since then Jack had tried very hard to find the prettiest and rarest flower of all for the Queen of the Toothfairies. Being his stubborn self, Jack believed that nothing short of that would do. He wanted to make her special, after all.

And so, months even before the Flower Festival begins, Jack would search high and low, far and wide, for that one, special flower. He would climb the highest mountains, traverse dangerous expanses of hidden caverns, delve into the deepest caverns, and brave even the dangerously warm temperatures and climates just for the sake of that one flower.

Yet, Jack soon learned—or was reminded—of the fact that he is unable to touch nature without sending them frozen; that one touch on them would make them lose their wonderful and vibrant color and pleasant aroma. It didn't even matter if it was a flowering shrub, a bush, a tree, a bouquet, a vast expanse of verdant pasture, or even the ugliest of weeds. Even getting anywhere near them was enough to wilt any kind of vegetation.

Several times he had found what he believed was the perfect blossom, only for it to freeze, wilt, and die before his very eyes. It was enough to drive the Guardian of Fun and Mischief crazy. It didn't help that his mood swings affected the weather around him, which would often result in a snowstorm, a blizzard, or a flurry. That, of course, only made matters worse.

Jack Frost kept trying, however. But as the days turned into months, and despite how much he tried, no flower could withstand the cold temperature he brings. Before the Winter Spirit knew it, the month-long Flower Festival had begun.

One could imagine what Jack Frost might have felt. May was already here and he still didn't have anything to give to Toothiana. He was certain her admirers—for the Queen of the Toothfairies, being one of the fairy-folks, certainly had a lot of them—were already lining up to give her their gift. That thought alone made Jack work even harder, staying away for long periods of time. Still, he returned empty-handed.

On one such occasion when Jack was unable to retrieve a flower, he caught sight of Toothiana being mobbed by several spirits who were eagerly giving her their Flower Festival offerings.

Seeing the Guardian of Memories with such a large crowd, Jack quickly hid himself. He didn't want any of them to see him. He was certain these spirits were expecting him to give something to Her Majesty, just as he was certain Tooth was also expecting of him.

The more he watched them offer their gifts to her, the more jealous of them he felt. They didn't have the same problems that he was having. All of the things they had given Tooth looked and smelt beautiful and wonderful. Even Groun D. Hog had whipped up a fantastic bouquet, the colors of which matched Toothiana's feathers perfectly and one could tell it was made especially for her. There was still a lot of spirits who were handing her gifts when Jack could bear it no longer and decided to fly away from there as stealthily as he could.

The Guardian of Fun and Mischief didn't have a particular destination in mind when he fled, all he could think of—the only instruction he gave The Wind—was for it to take him away.

The Wind has many facades. The one that always accompanies and aids Jack Frost was named, Boreas of the Northern Wind. Boreas is the only one amongst his brethren to be able to stand—or rather, fly—side-by-side with the Winter Spirit as they both provide the icy chill in the air. And although the Northern Wind is often viewed by its fellows as frightening and frigid, Boreas was a loyal friend and one who had always taken it upon himself to look after Jack Frost. He understood the Winter Spirit and could often tell what Jack needed even before the Winter Spirit, himself, does. That time was no different. Giving such an instruction to his long-time companion and friend enabled The Wind just enough freedom to what it thought was best at that moment.

Jack, who had been so deep in thought, didn't realize where he was headed. If he had been attentive during his flight, he would have willed The Wind to take him anywhere _but_ at that location at that very moment.

As it was, it was already too late when he realized and he had already caught the attention of the spirit who resides in that part of the globe.

Valentina Lovecraft was one of the gentlest of spirits Jack Frost had ever come across with. She was the Spirit of Pure Love—the love often found between family and friends. Love, at its purest and unconditional form. Valentina was also the spirit who protects the blossoming of first love. And though she was the least threatening in all of the spirit realm, Jack always found it hard to converse with her. It wasn't just because, like the Sandman, she didn't have an audible voice, but because whenever she speaks, it was as though she could read what was in the deepest recesses of his mind. It unnerved him.

Having said that, however, Jack Frost didn't have anything against the Spirit of Pure Love. In all honesty, he liked her enough. It's just, it wasn't a good time for him to be in the presence of one such as her.

'_Jack Frost, what a surprise._' Valentina greeted him with simple images to depict what she wanted to convey. '_To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?_'

"N-No particular reason," Jack replied, clearing his throat. He willed his mind to be clear of any troubling thoughts that may tip Valentina off about his worries. Knowing her, once she finds out, she would be sure to try to help. Although he may need help, Jack didn't want her to meddle and turn the whole thing into something big that the other spirits might get wind of. After all, he didn't want everyone to think that the Flower Festival was giving him so much trouble. He wanted everyone to think he was cool and aloof about it.

Valentina looked at him, scrutinizing him. She could tell that the Guardian was hiding something. For a short moment, she closed her eyes and listened to what The Wind had to say.

_Don't you dare tell her anything!_ The Winter Spirit thought. It was embarrassing enough that The Wind even brought him there, he didn't want any additional reason to add to that embarrassment.

When Valentina opened her eyes, however, Jack knew that his silent plea was not heard.

'_The Wind tells me something is troubling you_,' she said. When Jack didn't confirm—nor deny—it, she asked, '_He says it has been going on for a while now. Are you alright, Jack Frost?_'

Jack tried very hard not to groan in frustration. He didn't want to tell her, but he didn't want to sound rude in telling her off either. For someone who was not used to speaking with other spirits without making it sound like he was mocking them, Jack didn't know what to do. And so he opted to just nod and say nothing, which only further invited the Spirit of Pure Love to speak candidly, albeit not before asking Jack if it would be alright for her to do so.

Not knowing what else to say, Jack nodded once more.

'_It seems to me that you are trying too hard and overthinking things,_' Valentina said in that knowing way of hers. '_You're trying to do things the way most would, which is very much unlike you, Jack Frost. And you are searching for something that someone has already succeeded in finding before you._'

"What are you—?" Jack shook his head, he wasn't going to say something embarrassing. So, instead, he asked, "What would you suggest, then?"

Valentina Lovecraft smiled. '_Stop searching. You will not make it in time if you keep this up, Jack Frost. And I have a feeling you do not want to miss the opportunity._'

"You want me to just give up?" Jack was incredulous. "Are you crazy? That's even worse than not making it in time!"

'_You misunderstood me._' Valentina said, not the least bit offended. '_I would not suggest such a thing, especially on something that is obviously important to you. I am merely saying that, if you keep with the same method you have employed for the past few months in search of your flower, you will not succeed. A wilted flower does not impress anyone, Jack Frost._'

"What happened to the whole 'it's the thought that counts' thing?" Jack raised an eyebrow as he asked. He was certain Valentina was one of those spirits who believe in such a thing.

'_Would you really be content in hearing just that, though?_' Valentina asked right back, she looked thoughtful as she uttered that question to him.

"I suppose not." Jack admitted, chuckling to himself. He then sat, cross-legged, on the ground and began to think. Before he knew it, he had admitted what was troubling him and had allowed Valentina to help. "If I'm going to stop searching for the rarest and most beautiful flower, then what am I supposed to give Tooth?"

'_Perhaps something that can only come from you?_' Valentina suggested. '_Wouldn't something like that be rare in its own right?_'

"Something that can only come from me, huh…?" Jack began thinking long and hard about that. He wondered what he could give the Queen of the Toothfairies for the festival that would instantly tell her it was from him. Something that she wouldn't mistake came from anyone else.

After a while, Jack Frost grinned. Valentina didn't need to ask him if he had found his answer. That look alone was proof.

Jumping to his feet, the Guardian of Fun and Mischief turned to the Spirit of Pure Love and said, "I know what I have to do now."

'_That's good to hear,_' Valentina returned his smile. '_I wish you luck, Jack Frost._'

Jack nodded. He was about to call for The Wind to take him to North's workshop at the pole when he remembered something else that he needed to do.

Turning to face Valentina again, the Winter Spirit scratched the back of his head and stuttering, said, "Uh…I…Thank you, Valentina. If…If there's anything you need—anything at all—I'll be glad to help you out in the future."

'_There is no need for thanks,_' Valentina replied. '_I only did what any good friend would do._ _Now go. You mustn't dilly-dally. You have a lot of work to do._'

Jack grinned. He did have a lot of work to do. With one, final farewell—and with a promise to tell her the fruits of his labor—Jack Frost whistled for The Wind to carry him on his way.

Several days after that, while Valentina Lovecraft was inside her small hut in the middle of the forest, instructing her Cupids, and giving them their work for the day, she felt a cold wind blow, followed by a knock on her door.

When she went to open it, expecting to see Jack Frost, all she found was a bright pink, rose-like flower made entirely of ice, emitting a cool breeze. It shone and sparkled like a crystal whenever the light touched it. Along with the crystalized flower was a note, and it read:

_Valentina,_

_Thank you for your help. I wouldn't have figured out what to do if you hadn't __suggested what you did. Tooth loved the flower. And since I've been told __that the Flower Festival is for sharing gifts to those we appreciate in our __lives, I thought it would be fitting to give you one as well._

_ This is an Eternal Flower. It's the rarest flower in the entire universe…considering __there are only two in existence (and I'm pretty sure at that, after all, I was the __one who made it). As long as I am around, this flower will never wilt, and it doesn't need to be watered or bathed in sunlight. It will also constantly give off a cool breeze, which is pretty useful if it's hot and humid, and although it looks fragile, it's really not. I hope you like it. _

_Jack Frost_

Valentina smiled and looked fondly at the Eternal Flower.

The Spirit of Love received many gifts from the Flower Festival, but that particular one had to be her favorite.


	2. Queen Toothiana and the Eternal Flower

**A Rise of the Guardians / Guardians of Childhood Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

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**Author's Notes:**

So, this whole 'Eternal Flower' business was supposed to be a one-shot and I was supposed to be writing a different one-shot to add to this collection of one-shots, but then I thought: 'Hey, why not write Tooth's side of the story?' since the first one didn't have much interaction between Jack and Tooth. Hence, Part Two was born. I kind of have mixed feelings about this, still I hope you guys enjoy reading.

As for the Lost Spirits fanfic (the sequel to Rise of the Fright Knights), I'm going to update it tomorrow, if Typhoon Hagupit doesn't end up causing a power outage in our city.

Anyways, don't forget to review and tell me what y'all think.

Dream on; Fly on!

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own Rise of the Guardians, or the Guardians of Childhood series…as if that wasn't obvious enough.

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**Summary:** Toothiana hasn't seen the Guardian of Fun and Mischief in a while. Worried, she goes around asking the other Guardians if they know of his whereabouts. Takes place during the Flower Festival. A companion piece to Jack Frost and the Eternal Flower.

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**Queen Toothiana and the Eternal Flower**

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It has been weeks since Toothiana had seen the Guardian of Fun and Mischief (and her good friend), Jack Frost. It wasn't for lack of trying to take a break from her duties as the Queen of the Toothfairies that kept her from seeing him again. She had actually taken time, on several occasions, to check up on him. Or tried to, at least, for it would appear as though Jack Frost himself did not wish to be found.

It was strange. Perplexing. And it made Toothiana feel uneasy. That, in turn, made her Mini Fairies worry about her. And when the Queen of the Toothfairies became anxious about something, it was hard _not_ to take notice.

On any other day, E. Aster Bunnymund would not have minded the visit. He actually enjoys it when Toothiana comes over to his Warren. Unlike some spirits he could name, the Guardian of Memories did not cause trouble in the slightest. Nor does she merely visit for the sake of starting a debate on which holiday-Christmas or Easter-was more important. His conversations with the ruler of Punjam Hy Loo always bordered on the intellectual. Their debates were always so refreshing.

This particular visit, however, was something he could do _without_. Although Easter was still a very long ways away, he didn't want to be behind schedule. He wanted every preparation to be ready even before the season came. What was more annoying was the reason for Tooth's visit. Tooth had come to him—of all things—to ask about Jack Frost.

_Why in Tsar Lunar's name is she asking me about _him_?_ Bunnymund tried his best to hide his annoyance as he gently placed one decorated egg after another inside his hand-woven basket. He was already behind schedule as it was thanks to the Flower Festival.

"—I mean, I understand he may need some time to himself, but can't he see how much worry he's giving everyone?" Toothiana went on ranting, not knowing about Bunnymund's internal struggle not to throw her out of the Warren. "The least he could do is tell us where he would be. What if there's an emergency? What if Pitch suddenly comes back and we're one-Guardian short?"

"That's not gonna happen, Tooth," Bunnymund assured the queen. "If Pitch decides to show his ugly mug again, you can be sure Jack'll be at the forefront of the battle. He's gonna be around when he's needed."

"Are you saying he's not needed now?" Toothiana asked, failing to see Bunnymund's point.

"Maybe he's busy."

"With what?"

"His job? Creating a snow storm over some poor state or another? Making a spirit or two's life miserable with his stupid pranks? Maybe he's actin' all depressed again somewhere in Antarctica?" Bunnymund enumerated, his attention still focused on the eggs he was decorating. "I can go on and on with this, if you want."

Toothiana glared at the Guardian of Hope's back. "Not helping, Bunnymund."

The last of the Pooka sighed, placed the paintbrush he had been using down on his desk, and turned his chair around to face Toothiana. His eyes were narrowed at her, as if he was suspicious about something. Tooth could tell that his patience was running thin.

"What's gotten into you, Shiela?" Bunnymund asked. "Since when has Jack Frost's sudden disappearances bothered you so much? It's not like this is the first time the old rat bag decided to drop off the radar. Besides, knowin' him, Frost is probably just hiding because of all this Flower Festival business."

"W-Well," Toothiana wondered how she was going to answer that. It was true that she wasn't bothered by the Winter Spirit's disappearances before. He was a free spirit, after all. And, like the Wind, Jack had the tendency of greatly disliking being confined in one place for too long. He didn't like to be tied down. It wasn't hard to imagine that he would be hiding because of a festival, either. Jack had never shown any interest in those kinds of festival as far as she could tell.

When Toothiana failed to answer after a while, Bunnymund raised an eyebrow. If he had known asking her that would made her clam up, he would have asked the question sooner.

As he carefully watched his guest, another question popped up in the Pooka's head and a grin slowly spread across his face.

"Tooth?" he ventured, uncertain of how she was going to react with his query.

The Queen of the Toothfairies' head jerked up. She had been pondering over the question Bunnymund had thrown her earlier that she forgot she was not by herself. Her reaction amused the Guardian of Hope even more.

"Oh, sorry. I was just..."

Bunnymund cut her off. "Thinking. I know. And it seems like you're struggling with my question, too. Which, in turn, got _me_ thinking..."

"Why do I have a feeling this is heading into something I would rather not discuss?" Toothiana spoke hesitantly. The tone Bunnymund was using did not ease the nervousness she felt with whatever path Bunnymund's thoughts seem to have taken him.

"Don't get your knickers in a knot," Bunnymund dismissed what she was saying, waving his hand which was holding the paintbrush about. This caused a few droplets of paint to go flying in different directions. "You've been away with the pixies ever since you came barging in here asking me if I know where Frost is. And the way you're behaving...well, I just gotta know if Eros managed to get to you."

"What are you talking about?" It was Tooth's turn to narrow her eyes at Bunnymund. "What does that obnoxious spirit have anything to do with Jack missing?"

"It ain't have nothing to do with Jack, Sheila." Bunnymund rolled his eyes. Does he really need to spell it out to her? He didn't want to play sillybuggers with her. Not when he still had a lot of eggs to paint and decorate, and a lot of other things to do. "You do remember who Eros Sureshot is, don't ya?"

Toothiana nodded. Of course she does! How could she forget? Toothiana's thoughts about that particular spirit was no secret after all. The number of problems he had caused her was enough for her to have a great dislike for him. _What kind of stupid question..._

And then she understood the real meaning behind E. Aster Bunnymund's question. Judging from the way her eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and the tinge of red that painted her face, Bunnymund could tell that she did.

"Bunnymund!" Toothiana admonished. She tried her best to glare at her fellow Guardian, but she didn't know how believable it was.

"What?" Bunnymund's lips quirked into a smile. "I just gotta know. The way you're acting, it looks as though you've been hit by Cupid's arrow. Real hard. You're actin' like Frost's girlfriend."

"I have not! That is completely absurd! Ridiculous!" Tooth was zipping around all over Bunnymund's workshop as she spoke, clearly agitated. "Jack and I are _friends_. I am merely worried about my _friend_."

"Friend, yeah..._right_," The Easter Bunny snorted as he turned his chair back around and continued on working with the eggs. "Whatever you say, Toothiana. Now, as much as I enjoy your company, I really do have to get these finish soon. So, if you may..." Bunnymund waved his hand in dismissal, "...you know the way out."

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The Queen of the Toothfairies had only managed to calm herself down when she arrived at North's workshop.

Unlike the Warren, there wasn't a subtle hint of urgency in the workshop. The Yetis have already begun to create countless of toys for the children, building as many toys as they could with the designs Nicholas St. North had given them.

North, for his part, was surprised to see Tooth. Although the workshop was open to all the Guardians, as it was also their headquarters, Toothiana seldom— if ever—visited unless there was some emergency. That thought alone made the Guardian of Wonder worried.

"Toothiana!" Nicholas St. North's voice boomed as he greeted Tooth with a big bear hug. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit? I hope everything is alright."

"Everything is fine, North," Toothiana giggled as North released her. "I just came by to ask you if you have seen Jack lately."

"Jack?" North scratched his beard and tried to remember if the Winter Spirit had come by recently. A couple of seconds later, he shook his head and replied, "No. I haven't seen Jack in quite a while. The last time I saw him, he was busy preparing for something..."

"When was it?" Toothiana immediately asked.

"About a…let's see…three weeks ago." North replied. His brow then furrowed and with a hint of worry, he asked, "Why? Is there something wrong, Tooth? Is he in trouble?"

"Oh, no. Nothing's wrong." Quickly, she replied, which only served to make North suspicious.

"Toothy," North warned. He was not very fond of people—especially close friends—lying to him.

Toothiana sighed. "Please stop calling me by that ridiculous pet name, North."

"I will if you tell me the truth." North replied, although, in truth, he didn't plan to stop calling her that. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing, really," Toothiana assured him. "I am simply wondering about Jack's whereabouts. I haven't seen him in a while, and I am worried that something might have happened to him."

"I am sure Jack is alright," the Guardian of Wonder said. "Last time I saw him, he seemed happy. Even a little bit excited. He is probably just planning another one of his pranks. Maybe one for Bunny."

"And you're not going to stop him from whatever practical joke he intends to unleash?" Toothiana was incredulous. She could still remember how angry the Easter Bunny had been the first time around. "Bunnymund is going to _murder_ him if he successfully carries out his plan."

"No need to worry, Toothy," Toothiana glared once more at the nickname. "Bunnymund is well-aware of that. After the Spring of 1868, he has always been prepared for whatever Jack might throw at him."

"But, still—"

"Toothiana, it is all in good fun." Turning to one of the elves that was roaming around, North said, "You. Bring me cookies, and tea for our guest!"

The elf saluted North before scampering off to the kitchen. It has always made the Guardian of Memories wonder how the elves, who were so clumsy, could be trusted to take care of anything culinary. She had often mused how unsurprising it would be if, one day, the kitchen would just blow up.

"Now, while we wait for cookies and tea, why don't you tell me what's really bothering you."

Toothiana pulled herself back to the present, surprised by the words of the ex-Cossack. She didn't understand what Nicholas St. North meant. There was nothing else bothering her save for the mischievous spirit's whereabouts.

"There's nothing else, North. Really."

Despite the sincerity in Toothiana's words, it took a while for North to believe what she said.

"Really?" he was incredulous. "I thought for certain you have bigger problem than Jack." The warrior seem to think about that for a while, before he shook his head and chuckled, correcting himself. "Well, Jack is a big problem, in and of himself, I suppose."

Toothiana laughed at that. "He is, isn't he?"

When their laughter had died down, North eyed Toothiana.

"What?" Toothiana asked, still with a smile on her face, as she noticed North looking at her strangely.

Nicholas St. North chuckled once more. "I am simply happy to see how far you have gone, Toothy. I still remember the first time we have met. You were so willing to rip our throats out than trust us."

"That was a long time ago, North," Toothiana looked away, embarrassed by the memory. She had been rather fierce, and unforgiving, back then.

"Yes, that is true," North admitted, smiling that kind, fatherly smile of his. "But if someone would have told me back then how much you have changed like this? Well, I wouldn't have believed them. The same is true for Jack, you know? I was confident that he would make a great Guardian when Man in Moon chose him. But, before? It didn't cross my mind. He is far too much a rabble-rouser. He doesn't like rules, and thinks of them as nothing more than a recommendation. Did you know that I once caught him trespassing? When I pointed out to him the large sign that had forbidden anyone from entering, he told me that he did read it but opted to take it as a suggestion. I wanted to throttle him so badly."

"That's Jack, alright," Toothiana giggled.

"Yes. Now, however, he seemed to have changed. I am sure you have noticed it as well. He isn't as...reckless." North saw Tooth nod at that, though she remained silent. Perhaps contemplating. "I can't help wonder _why_."

"Perhaps he is just growing up," North went on. "But, sometimes I wonder if there is another explanation. Another reason."

"Why are you telling me this?" Toothiana didn't understand what North's whole spiel was about. Without meaning to, her tone became defensive.

North shrugged. If Toothiana wasn't ready to see it yet, he wasn't going to force her too. Besides, it would be interesting to watch from the sidelines how this would all play out.

* * *

Toothiana decided to take one last detour, heading off to Sandman's Island. Despite the headache-inducing conversations she had with Bunnymund and North, the Queen of the Toothfairies held out hope that, perhaps, Sandy would be different.

"The Island of Sleepy Sands". Sandman's Island-an island made of dreamsands hardened into the earth creating long, spiraling tendrils of land-was a sight to behold to those who can find it.

Sanderson ManSnoozie was one of the oldest spirits around. And with that in mind, Toothiana hoped that he, at least, would have an insight on where their missing friend and ally was.

As it turns out, even the Sandman was clueless about Jack's whereabouts.

"Are you sure?" Toothiana didn't know what else to say. The Sandman had been her last hope for information, and now she would have to return to Punjam Hy Loo empty-handed. "You haven't seen him in weeks as well, Sandy?"

The little golden man shook his head sadly, and in an intricate and quick succession of images told the queen that he, himself, had been searching for the Winter Spirit as well.

The Queen of the Toothfairies sighed. The forlorn look on her face was enough to make Sandy worried. It was not every day one would find the Guardian of Memories looking saddened about something.

Being the kindhearted spirit that he is, the Sandman was quick to ask Toothiana what was wrong. The Queen, however, simply shook her head.

_'Do you need a lift back?'_ Sandy asked. He knew how capable Toothiana was. There was no better flier than her. But he didn't want to leave her by herself.

"Oh, no." Tooth smiled. "I couldn't possibly—"

The Guardian of Dreams smiled as he waved her off. With images conjured from dreamsands, he told her that it was no bother at all.

_'I was just on my way out as well,'_ he added.

Briefly, Toothiana wondered if there was something behind Sandy's offer. She quickly shook that thought away, and blamed it on fatigue. It had been a long day, after all.

And so she accepted the Sandman's proposition. This pleased the Guardian, clapping his hands in delight. He didn't wait long to mold a vehicle—a sailboat—with his dreamsands for both himself and Toothiana.

The sailboat flew across the sea of clouds, dispersing dreamsands wherever they went. The golden sands glimmer in the moonlight, making it glow even more. It was always a beautiful sight.

Toothiana's eyes followed the trail of dreamsands as it snaked its way to the houses, keeping close watch for a white-haired spirit that may be playing with the sands as they went on their journey. The Sandman, for his part, watched Toothiana.

Prior to her visit, Sandy had already received word from Bunnymund and North about her. They have told him about her stopover and search for their youngest member. And cautioned him in saying anything that might upset the Queen of the Toothfairies.

It would appear, however, that he had failed at that last point. He had made Toothiana upset, though that was not his intention and he really didn't have a choice on the matter. He couldn't raise her hopes up by telling her a lie. It was funny, actually. Until Tooth had asked if they had seen the Guardian of Fun and Mischief, he, North, and Bunnymund never actually wondered where he was. They figured he would be doing his own thing somewhere. They should have paid more attention.

As he continued to watch the Queen of Punjam Hy Loo, the Sandman also began to notice and realize the same things as the others she had went to see prior to him did. He wondered why he didn't notice it before, and it actually took the on-going Flower Festival and a missing Winter Spirit for him to notice.

'_Can I ask why you are searching for Jack?_' Sandy surprised Toothiana with the question he asked so suddenly. '_It isn't uncommon for Jack to be gone for long periods of time, but it seems that even with that knowledge, you are distraught._'

"N-No particular reason," Toothiana replied. The way she stuttered and how she failed to look at him when she spoke told the Guardian of Dreams that the queen was lying. There _was_ a reason. "Like I have said before, I am merely worried by his absence."

Disregarding what Tooth said, Sandy decided to share his own thought on the matter, saying, '_I'm sure you've heard this from the others, but Jack probably just didn't like the festival and is laying low until it's over. Besides, if you think about it, maybe that really is the case and he just doesn't want to inconvenience everyone with his presence._'

"What does that mean? How could his presence inconvenience anyone?"

'_The Flower Festival is a spring festival,_' Sandy began to explain. '_Jack is, as you know, a Winter Spirit. His presence could freeze those flowers, which in turn can be problematic for those who enjoy the festival._' He then shrugged and added, '_That's maybe the reason for his absence._'

Tooth thought to herself for a while. In all honesty, she didn't realize the possibility contained within the Sandman's words. She wasn't going to admit that Jack's absence during the festival was among the reasons why she was looking for him. Nor was she going to admit that she was curious why she hadn't received anything from him for that festival, considering how she thought that she would be among his good female friends.

"I suppose you have a point," the Guardian of Memories slowly admitted, her worry transforming into understanding.

Still, there was a sadness in the way she spoke that confused the little, golden man. No, it wasn't really sadness. It was more of…disappointment. Instead of trying to pry into whatever it was going on with Tooth, however, the Sandman chose to take the route of silence—one that Toothiana appreciated.

As Toothiana disembarked from Sandy's dreamsand sailboat, thanking him for the ride, the Guardian of Dreams could only hope Jack Frost has something up his sleeves that would make up for his absence.

* * *

The Mini Fairies—Baby Tooth, in particular—need not ask how their queen's day had been. The tired and forlorn look on her face was answer enough. Whatever their Queen Toothiana's reasons were for leaving Punjam Hy Loo—a reason that she had kept a secret, even from her closest confidant—was unfruitful.

Toothiana waved off the worried looks and the concern the Mini Fairies were giving her and instructed them to keep the operations of Punjam Hy Loo moving along. Not wishing to add to the heaviness of their queen's thoughts, the Mini Fairies agreed to give her some space.

As soon as she was alone in her room, Toothiana allowed herself to fall, face first, on her bed. She felt silly. She had, not only left her responsibilities in favor of learning Jack's whereabouts, but undoubtedly had made a fool of herself with the other Guardians.

_I should have just let it go._ Tooth thought to herself as she grabbed a pillow from a nearby mound of pillows and she rolled to her back. _And I should probably stop thinking about it._ _It's not helping me any._

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. The Guardian of Memories needn't look at a clock to know that the final day of the Flower Festival was almost over.

_It's not about you, Toothiana._ The Queen of the Toothfairies chastised herself. _Sandy's right. Jack's a _Winter _Spirit. You couldn't expect him to participate. It's probably not even his sort of thing._

Another deep sigh escaped Her Majesty's lips, before she sat herself up, nodded, and said aloud—with as much conviction and positivity as she could muster. "Alright. Enough moping around. Let's get back to work, Toothiana."

* * *

Baby Tooth stared at Jack Frost. He looked like he was up to something, and it worried her that the Guardian of Fun and Mischief may have a prank planned and just about ready to instigate it on their queen. Now was not the time. Queen Toothiana was very much upset, for whatever the reason might be.

"I need your help with something, Baby Tooth." Jack said, whispering conspiratorially. "I could probably ask any one of you, but I think you're the one best suited to pull this off."

'_Pull what off?_' Baby Tooth asked, but like always Jack's understanding of hummingbird speech was very low—almost bordering on non-existent. '_What are you up to, Jack Frost?_'

Even though Jack could barely tell what, exactly, Baby Tooth was chirping about, the look she was giving him was enough for him to understand, somewhat.

The Winter Spirit laughed, "Don't worry, Baby Tooth. I'm not up to anything…well, anything dangerous, irresponsible, or mischievous." He raised his right hand, as if taking an oath. "I promise."

The Mini Fairy stared at the Guardian of Fun and Mischief, gauging the truthfulness of his words. When she saw that he wasn't lying, Baby Tooth sighed and nodded for Jack to explain himself.

Jack did just that.

The more Baby Tooth listened, the more her skeptical expression changed into a huge grin.

* * *

Toothiana was about to leave her room when Baby Tooth suddenly popped in through the small slot in her door that allowed her Mini Fairies entrance. This, of course, surprised the Queen of the Toothfairies.

"Baby Tooth!" she exclaimed, hands on her rapidly-beating chest. "What are you—? Is something wrong?"

'_Queen Toothiana!_' Baby Tooth chirped.

"What is it?" Tooth didn't want to deal with anything close to problematic at the moment.

'_Jack._' Baby Tooth said. '_He sent a message asking for your help. He said he was stuck at the pond in Burgess._'

For a moment, Toothiana merely blinked at Baby Tooth. She wasn't certain she had heard her Mini Fairy properly. That area she spoke of, after all, was one of the first places Tooth had checked for her missing Winter Spirit and friend.

"Did you just say…" she trailed off.

'_Jack, Your Majesty, he's in trouble!_'

That snapped Toothiana to attention. Without another word, nor any other questions, the Guardian of Memories rushed off, away from Punjam Hy Loo and towards Burgess.

* * *

Amongst all of the spirits, Toothiana belonged to the fastest. She is all speed and movement. And when she puts herself to it, when she lets all her restraint go and allow her wings to carry her as quickly as they could, she could even beat Bunnymund's tunnels and North's Snow Globes in getting from one place to another. So it shouldn't come as any surprise that Tooth arrived as soon as she did.

The entire area was quiet. Something that made Toothiana's skin crawl. The alarming news that Baby Tooth had shared with her created worrisome visions for Tooth, her imagination going overdrive as she thought of all the bad and horrid things that might have happened to Jack Frost.

Dual daggers in hand, Tooth slowly began to search for Jack. As worried as she was, she didn't want to stumble into some sort of trap and make matters worse for her and Jack.

As she was flying carefully along, her eyes caught something glittering, hidden slightly by the bushes and the trees. She was not far from where the pond was at that point. And when a gentle cold wind blew, Tooth decided to follow the source. What she found confused, mystified, and awed her.

In the middle of the pond was a small islet—no bigger than a grown man's arm—made of ice. At its center was a rose-like flower—bright pink and seemingly made of crystal. As Tooth flew cautiously towards it, she noticed that the closer she got, the cooler the breeze was. It was as if the flower itself was generating the winter-esque wind.

So mesmerized was she that, for a moment, Tooth forgot what she was doing there. That was until, a voice spoke from behind her.

"The Eternal Flower," Jack's voice floated from atop one of the trees surrounding the pond from where he was perched, watching the Queen of the Toothfairies curiously. He took a deep breath before jumping from the tree and landing near said flower. "The rarest flower in the world."

"Jack!" Tooth was surprised to see him, and in better shape than she had expected. She quickly flew towards him, remembering the reason why she had flown there to begin with. "What are you—? Are you alright? Baby Tooth told me you were in trouble."

There was a nervousness in the way Jack laughed, scratching the back of his head and looking away as he said, "Yeah…about that…I had to find a way to get you to come out here as soon as possible. I don't have much time left, after all. Of course, I only have myself to blame for that. I was thinking too hard…or I wasn't thinking about it much at all."

Jack was talking too fast. So fast that even Tooth had a hard time understanding what he was saying.

"What?" Tooth asked. Having only understood the first half of what Jack had said. "You had Baby Tooth _lie_ for you? Jack!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. But I didn't force her to, you know. When I told her what I had planned, Baby Tooth was more than willing to help. Besides, I didn't actually lie. I really am in trouble, and you're the only one who can help me out."

"What you had planned?"

Jack grinned sheepishly before bending to pick the crystal flower. Tooth watched him carefully. She knew of the Winter Spirit's infamous reputation for being a mischief-maker.

_I swear, if he has a prank up his sleeves and that's his reason for making me worry like that, I'm going to punch him. Hard._

What Jack did next, however, was not something the Guardian of Memories expected. Although it was something she had _hoped_ for.

"For you, My Lady," Jack curtsied, giving her that lopsided smile of his—despite the nervousness he was feeling—as he presented the Eternal Flower to her.

It was like the cogs in Tooth's mind decided it was a good idea to stop to a crawl at that moment. She had a really hard time processing what was happening. She wondered if it was just a dream of sorts; if she had actually fallen asleep.

Jack frowned. He had hoped Tooth would be happy, not verging on catatonic. It made him panic.

"Tooth?" _Did I…Did I do something wrong? _"A-Are you alright?"

"I'm not really here am I? This has to be Sandy's doing." Jack heard Tooth mutter under her breath. "He must've knocked me out."

Jack couldn't help himself from chuckling as he straightened himself, becoming amused with the way Tooth was starting to get both flustered and agitated. "What are you talking about? What does the Sandman have anything to do about what I'm doing?"

"He knows I've been asking around about you. He also knows how disappointed I was. This has to be his way of making me feel better. Nice try, Sandy. This has to be the most realistic one yet."

"Are you sure about that?" the grin on Jack's face widened with every word that escaped the Queen of the Toothfairies' mouth. "You're giving the Sandman way too much credit for something he had absolutely no hand on."

"What other explanation is there?" Toothiana asked, she sounded dejected. It never once crossed her mind that she was far too lucid to be dreaming.

"It's not impossible for me to come up with a way to give you something for the Flower Festival, Tooth. It might've been hard, and frustrating, and I may have needed a bit of help from a friend, but it wasn't impossible." Jack said. He then gave her a genuine smile and added, "Besides, would I really miss out on an opportunity to tell you and show you how important you have been for me and how much I appreciate you?"

Not waiting for her to answer, Jack began to explain his present. "Like I was saying, this is an Eternal Flower. The rarest flower in the world. It's so rare that there are only two of them in existence. I should know, I _made_ it."

"You…made it?" Tooth wasn't expecting that. "But, it looks like a real flower. I can sense life behind it, even after you picked it."

"It doesn't just _look_ like a real flower, Tooth. It _is_ a real flower. It's just…special." Jack said, not wanting to get into how he actually made the flower. "As long as I'm around, the Eternal Flower will never wilt. You don't need to water it either, and neither does it need sunlight. Like I've said, it's _special_."

Jack then presented the flower once more to the Guardian of Memories, who took it gingerly in her hand. It was cool to the touch, and the breeze coming from it was comfortably frosty as well.

"So…this isn't a dream?"

"Nope." Grinned Jack, which only served to make Toothiana blush.

She cleared her throat. Curious about what Jack had said, she asked, "You said there were only two of this in existence. Where is the other one?"

Jack scratched the back of his head once again, his face coloring just a bit. "I still have it. I'm planning to give it to Valentina."

Toothiana arched an eyebrow. She knew who Valentina was. Everyone knew who she was. "Valentina?"

"Well, I have to thank her somehow." Jack explained. He didn't want Tooth to get the wrong idea. Spirits knows how troublesome that would be. He didn't want that kind of problem. "She helped me figure out what to give you and helped save the lives of hundreds of flowers in danger of being frozen. She may have just ensured that a particular specie of flower didn't get wiped out from the face of the earth."

"Oh," was all Tooth could say. She was amazed that Jack had gone through all that trouble to give her something. After a while, she looked up at him, smiled, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you, Jack."

The tinge of pink on Tooth's face was nothing compared to the blush that had crept on Jack.

For a moment, there was silence around the two Guardians, until Jack broke it by saying, "So, when you said that this was 'the most realistic one yet' when you thought this was all a dream…does that mean you've dreamed about me before?"

Jack might have done something sweet that made Tooth's heart melt and flutter. Suffice to say, however, that with that question, the Guardian of Memories had never felt so mortified as she did at that moment in time.


	3. Cupid's Revenge

**A Rise of the Guardians / Guardians of Childhood Fanfic**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Summary:**

Eros Sureshot is fed up with Jack Frost messing things up for some of his ongoing projects. So, Cupid decides that it was high time for some payback. And he had the perfect revenge in mind.

* * *

**Cupid's Revenge**

* * *

Eros Sureshot felt giddy.

He had been working for months to get two humans to fall madly in-love with each other. The guy was a baker's son. The girl, an heiress of a large multi-national corporation. It was a challenge, one Eros was willing to tackle. Eros swore that he wouldn't rest until he had accomplished that task. The two humans, after all, just looked great together.

Cupid intended to help the baker's son every step of the way. There was just something about him that tugged at the Cupid's heart. That was why he did everything he could to make the heiress fall in love with the baker's son.

Finally, the day came when one final arrow would do the trick.

Eros had notched the arrow to his bow. This particular arrow had a more potent "love magic" on it, as was always the case. He had begun taking careful aim. A smirk played across his lips as he recited his mantra in his head: '_Cupid never misses_'.

His target—the heiress—was walking briskly, talking animatedly to her best friend's brother. Eros knew they were discussing about the surprise party the heiress was planning to give her best friend; a party which the baker's son was going to be baking a cake for.

Eros was timing his shot. He wanted to release his arrow the same moment that the two passed by the bakeshop while the baker's son was fixing the day's display.

And when the time finally came, he let the love arrow lose, his mind focused on making whomever the arrow hits to fall madly in love with the baker's son. Had Cupid known what was going to happen next, however, he would not have wished for that. He probably would have changed his MO about the final arrow as well.

But as they say, hindsight is twenty-twenty.

Eros's arrow flew straight, but not towards its intended target. It sailed towards the heiress' best friend's brother! As it had happened, the heiress had slipped. Her best friend's brother had, of course, grabbed her by the wrist. But he was unsteady on his feet and the heiress managed to pull him so much so that he stood where she had.

Cupid could only watch in horror as his arrow's magic worked on the blond-haired young man. He couldn't understand what had happened. He wasn't against a guy falling for another guy, but he had plans for the best friend's brother to fall in love with someone else. And although that plan wasn't entirely ruined—Eros could make him fall in love with someone else—it would take time. Time that he didn't have.

Eros berated himself for not checking if there were any hazards. He was about to chuck it up as one of his rare mistakes when he heard laughter and felt a cold and freezing wind blow. And then, Eros mind clicked! He put two and two together!

Eros Sureshot _never_ misses his target. His arrows _always_ fly right and true. But that didn't mean that it was infallible to outside forces. Outside forces like Jack Frost and his damn winter magic which can freeze puddles, making his target get out of balanced.

Cupid gritted his teeth. Jack had made him miss his mark.

But as Eros was a busy spirit, he just shook his head and quickly retreated to his den while the heiress' best friend's brother had started eyeing the baker's son, blushing as he did so. Cupid needed to fix this big blunder. He would deal with Jack Frost some other time.

* * *

Eros Sureshot had found another pair of future lovers whom he couldn't wait to put together. It wasn't even going to be a hard job this time around. After the whole fiasco with the baker's son, the heiress, and the heiress' best friend, Eros didn't mind an easy undertaking. Fixing that mess had made him tired and he merely wanted something that would get his spirits up.

And so, he sought the clichéd premise of two best friends to help fall in love with each other. And he found them in the form of a recently-dumped guy and his childhood friend who was trying to comfort him. Christmas was just a few days away and the two of them were sitting on a bench at the local park.

Snow had fallen the night before, blanketing everything the eye could see in white. It was the perfect setting. As much as Eros was currently annoyed with Jack Frost, Cupid couldn't help but admit that the Winter Spirit and Guardian of Fun and Mischief had often provided him the best backdrop and situations to work with. This was one of them.

_And since he's already done with this place, there's no way Jack Frost would mess this one up._ Eros also thought to himself as he readied his bow and arrow and took aim.

Once again, he played his mantra in his head, _Cupid never misses._

_Swoosh!_ The arrow went, released from the bow. But then the guy flopped over, falling from the bench. So instead of hitting the recently-dumped guy, the arrow sailed pass him, ricocheted on a sign, and hit the childhood friend square on the forehead.

Eros' jaw dropped as the childhood friend went from being overly fussy and caring of her recently-dumped friend, to a narcissistic bi—

Cupid shook his head, "What the heck just happened?!"

The answer came in the form of a laughter from the guy asking, "Alright, who threw that snowball?"

It was then followed by a familiar voice that said, "No one's allowed to mope when there's a snow day and Christmas is just right around the corner!"

"Frost…" growled Eros. The Winter Spirit had once again foiled his plans.

* * *

Eros Sureshot was tired. And that was saying something. In his long years of existence, not once did Cupid feel as weary as he did. And in truth, he wasn't even supposed to feel tired. Ever. He couldn't even remember botching so many jobs in such a short time.

First there was that mishap with the baker's son. Then the shot that caused a selfless girl to turn into a narcissist. Then there was that love-triangle blunder, the whole fiasco with the girl falling in love with a group of guys (he didn't even want to _think_ about that), the embarrassing moment when he accidentally fired a shot at one of the Siren Sisters who ended up falling in love with a human (he had _never_ made a mistake such as that before)…Eros could practically go on and on, and all of his problems stemmed from one spirit who, recently, seemed to be at exactly the same place as he was.

_Jack Frost_. Eros groaned, slumping to the chair in his study and burying his face in his hands. _He is going to be the death of me. If he's trying to tick me of, he had succeeded in that._

The spirit couldn't help but wonder if Jack was doing it on purpose. The Winter Spirit, after all, need no other motivation other than having fun or causing mischief. Eros would've chucked some of those incidents as an accident, but when he thought about all of them combined, the sharpshooter couldn't help but think otherwise. And the more Eros thought about it, the more he wanted to pay Jack Frost back for what he has done.

His mind began to formulate a plan. It wasn't anything dangerous. Spirit knows how bad an idea it was if his revenge ends up actually hurting the Guardian of Fun and Mischief. All he wanted to do was teach the meddling spirit a lesson. And so he set about preparing what he needed, snickering as he did so.

_This is going to be awesome,_ Eros thought to himself. _And I have the _perfect_ time and place for it too._

* * *

The Yuletide Ball.

It was the annual event that Nicholas St. North, along with the other winter and holiday spirits, prepare for all of Spirit Kind. It wasn't just a Christmas-thing either, although the date for the event always falls on the 25th.

Every spirit known—and unknown—to mankind was there. Well, not _every_ spirit. Those who were against the Guardians and the Man in the Moon, and those who were—by their very nature—loners, were, of course, not there. The former were not invited, while the latter merely opted out on the festivities.

As such, it was easy to imagine how rowdy North's Workshop was. It wasn't just a gathering of friends and allies, but of rivals as well. Already an argument had started between E. Aster Bunnymund and Groun D. Hog. Bunnymund was warning the Groundhog not to prolong winter, and announce spring as early as possible. The Groundhog, of course, colorfully told the Easter Bunny that he was not the boss of him.

There were also some of his kinsmen who had taken into challenging each other to race. Most of them were spirits of flight, able to ask the Wind for assistance. As such, their races involved flying speedily, dodging obstacles, timing themselves to know who was fastest.

As always, Quicksilver—the party-crashing poltergeist—was up to his tricks again. Flipping the skirts of the Naiads and Dryads that were present, causing shrieks followed by loud crashing noises as the Naiads and Dryads tried to attack the incorporeal form of the poltergeist. They were doing more harm on North's Workshop than on Quicksilver.

Eros held the small pouch tightly. He didn't want to accidently pour its contents on some other unsuspecting spirit. Its contents, after all, were _special_.

Cupid's gaze was searching. The sooner he puts his plan to motion, the better.

After a few minutes, Eros' eyes landed on his intended mark. He smirked. It was time to get the show on the road.

Instead of flying—and finding himself in danger of being caught up with the spirits of flight's race—Eros decided to simply walk towards Jack Frost.

Just like he planned, Eros bumped into Jack, letting the Winter Spirit be doused by the contents of the pouch which were invisible to anyone but to Cupid's eyes.

"Oh, Frost, didn't see you there," Eros feigned ignorance, not wanting to look suspicious. "Sorry about that."

"No worries," the Guardian of Fun and Mischief grinned, and then walked away none the wiser.

Eros also walked a few paces forward, before moving letting his wings carry him off to the rafters—which had a much better vantage point. He began to countdown the minutes for the spell to take effect.

A minute and thirty-seconds later, it did.

* * *

Jack Frost had never attended any of North's parties before, partly because he didn't want to and partly because he knew he wouldn't be welcomed. Well, at least, that was how it was before he took on the role of a Guardian of Childhood. He had heard stories about them—stories from those spirits who wanted to make him feel more left out than he usually was—but those stories did not do the actual party any justice.

It was so colorful, so lively, so _fun_.

As one of the spirits of winter, he was supposed to have a hand on the party. But Nicholas St. North had decided to give Jack a free pass that year.

"I want you to see what party is like," North had told the younger Guardian, clapping him on the shoulder. "Then, next year, you can help come up with something to make it better. For now, you have fun."

It was an instruction Jack intended to take to heart. He saw many spirits—most of whom had never took notice of him before—wave at him in greeting. There were even those who actually went to talk to him. Some of them asked what he had been up to, others asked how he had been. Jack wasn't sure if it was them being polite, or if they really were curious and eager to hear him tell his tale. Regardless of what their reason might be, Jack found it nice.

Soon however, things became strange…

It started when Jack was challenged by Kaichi and Kartikeya. Both spirits believed they were faster than the Winter Spirit. Word spread of this challenge, and even before Jack had accepted, people were already gathering around the makeshift race track.

While Jack was preparing himself for the race, he felt someone looking intently at him. Searching around, he met the raven gaze of Himiko, an Asian spirit with long, jet-black hair, donning a priestess' garb.

As far as Jack Frost knew, Himiko didn't particularly like him. Whenever they saw each other, the priestess would merely huff in annoyance. Not once had they seen eye-to-eye. In fact, the Winter Spirit could vividly recall Himiko rallying spirits from her region against him saying that they already have a respectable, snow-bearing spirit and they didn't need him. The way she looked at him now, however, was enough to throw the Guardian of Fun and Mischief for a loop.

Himiko was shyly smiling. At him.

_And is she…batting her eyelashes. At me?_ Jack gulped. He didn't know what to make of it. And then she did that little wave with her fingers. Again, at him. Jack frowned. _Okay…now _that's_ weird._

Weirder still was what happened _after_ the race—which Jack had won, but only with a small margin. Himiko actually went to him. He didn't think much about it, believing that perhaps she was just going to be polite and congratulate him. But, no. She did more than that. She actually _gushed_ about how amazing he was. And as she spoke, Himiko drew closer and closer to Jack Frost that the Winter Spirit could actually feel her breath on his skin.

Of course, Jack took a step back. He didn't want for any misunderstandings to occur. And not wanting be near the strangely-acting woman, he decided to excuse himself. As he was leaving, he heard a sigh escape Himiko's lips, followed by her swooning and fanning her already blushing face, and the words that he never thought would ever grace the priestess' mouth: '_Isn't he _amazing_?_'.

He rushed even faster away as soon as he heard that.

He was hurrying so much that he didn't have time to keep himself from colliding with one of the Dryad Sisters, Ebony.

Ebony had dense black skin, rough looking—just like what you would expect from a personification of a tree (which were, basically, what Dryads are)—though her face was smooth and unblemished. Like all Dryads, she had big, wide eyes that were dark pools that seemed to suck you in when you look at them. She wore a long, flowing dress made of vines and leaves—another thing she had in common with her sisters.

The impact caused the Dryad to fall on her butt.

"Ow!" she grunted. Angrily, she added, "Watch where you going you stupid, little—"

When she looked at who had bumped into her, she stopped mid-sentence. Her face went as pale as a ghost's, her eyes widened more than Jack thought was possible, before she erupted into fierce blush.

"J-J-Jack, I'm sorry. I…I didn't see you. I thought you were…well, it doesn't matter what I thought…are you alright?" she stuttered, tucking a lose piece of her dark, wavy, hair out of her eyes.

Jack laughed as he held his hand out, "I should be the one asking you that. And apologizing. I was in a hurry."

Ebony took his hand, though tentatively. Jack, at first, chucked it to him being cold and the Dryad not wanting to suddenly find herself frosting over. When her touch lingered a bit longer than was necessary, and when she kept looking at him with half-lidded eyes, face still blushing madly as she stated how strong his arms were, however, Jack decided to throw that explanation far out the window and made a quick escape when he was presented with the chance saying that North was looking for him.

His "problems"—for lack of a better word—with the Dryad Sisters didn't end there, however. When he bumped into Willow, Olive, and Ivy, he didn't think he would inadvertently start a fight between the three and all because they each wanted to latch onto his arm. It was very strange, to say the least, and Jack wondered if there was something in the food and drinks that were causing the Dryad Sisters to act that way to him and no one else.

Then he found himself, on several occasions, having to push away a suddenly perverse Succubus, Lilith, and the Pixies who had all tried to kiss and make out with him at one point or another during the course of the party.

Before he knew it, Jack Frost was carefully traversing North's Workshop, hiding from any female's view. All the while he wondered what the heck was wrong with the entire female spirit community. Were they trying to pull a prank on him? It was an amusing thought, though he wondered what they would benefit from getting all those women to act absurdly. He felt more embarrassed for them than he did for himself.

After a while, Jack finally decided to ditch the crazy party, opting instead to hide away in the room that North had lent him. Thankfully, he didn't run into any maniacal female spirits on his way up. Once he was in his room, he firmly bolted the door—adding a bit of winter magic to make sure no one gets in—before slumping, face-first, on his bed.

"This has got to be the worst party I've ever been to…" Jack groaned. _Well, it's the only one I've actually been invited to, but still…_ "I'm never going to accept a challenge for a race ever again—and winning—if this is the result of that."

Jack felt so deflated. He was looking forward to the celebration. To mingling, having fun, eating all those delicious food he had seen. He had a lot of expectations about the party, not one of which involved locking himself in his own room.

"This is stupid," Jack said as he rolled himself so that he was lying flat on his back. "I'm Jack Frost. I don't run away and hide from anything…I should go out there and get those women to stop."

The Winter Spirit nodded, his eyes resolute. That was, until he heard from outside his room a cacophony of voices—_female_ voices—all of whom were looking for him and arguing amongst themselves _because_ of him. Whatever confidence he had seconds before vanished. His heart thudded loudly in his chest as the voices got louder and louder. He was certain they were going to realize where he was and, quite possibly, tear down his door to get to him.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Jack hissed between clenched teeth as he hopped from his bed and began backing away from the door. The voices growing louder still. He searched around for an escape. "I've got to get out of here."

The Guardian of Fun and Mischief's eyes wandered around the room, looking for an escape other than the windows which were far too obvious to anyone who was chasing him. He could make a new way out himself—freezing the walls so much that they crumble—but he didn't think North would appreciate that.

Just as he was contemplating on going through the cliché route of flying out the window, he heard a familiar voice questioning the mob that was just right outside his room. It was a voice he had longed to hear; a voice that belonged to the person who was amongst his reason for accepting the invitation.

"What are you all doing up here?" Toothiana asked the question tentatively. "The party is downstairs."

"I'm looking for Jack Frost, have you seen him?" came a female voice Jack couldn't quite place who.

"So am I," another one said.

"I'm also looking for him." Came another.

"Me too."

And on and on all the women who had been chasing him and was looking for him said.

"Um, okay…" Tooth obviously failed to come up with anything to say at what Jack could imagine her thinking was a strange gathering.

If it wasn't horrifying enough that all those women were looking for him, it became increasingly so when—without prompting—they began to give their reason for their search for him. Each was cringe-worthy and growing more and more so with each passing second. At one point, one of the female spirits outside his door even confidently blurted out that she was looking for him so that she could sleep with him.

_Spirits…Can this get any worse?_ _This _cannot_ be happening…_

"Uh…right," there was a long pause before Toothiana spoke again, no doubt she didn't want to hear that as well.

"So, where is he?" the one who had declared she was going to sleep with him said. "You know where he is don't you, Toothiana?"

"N-No. Not really." Tooth replied as Jack resumed his search for a way out. He had a strong feeling the mob won't stay outside his room for long, especially when they finally figured out it was his room. "I haven't seen him since the party started."

"Hmmm?" A high pitched voice, one Jack hadn't heard before asked. "You're not lying are you? You're not hiding him are you?"

"No. Why would I—?"

Jack's eyes landed on the giant wardrobe North had placed in his room but had never used as he heard Tooth got cut off by a chorus of voices who told her they didn't believe her. The wardrobe wasn't large enough to hide him, well, not unless he crouched low enough.

_And it would be stupid to hide there. That would be the first place they would look. It's too obvious._

"That's right. You might be hiding him to keep him for yourself. Well, we're not letting you take him away from us, Toothiana."

_But maybe it's too obvious that they wouldn't think I would hide there. _An idea began to form itself in Jack's mind. _Hmm…maybe a little bit of misdirection can get them all off my back._

"T-That's an absurd accusation!" Jack could have sworn Tooth's voice rose an octave.

"Prove it then," a different voice spoke. Again, Jack wondered just how many female spirits were outside his room suddenly wanting him. "What's behind that door?"

"That's Jack's…"

"It's his room!" everyone—well, Jack guessed it was everyone outside—suddenly squealed.

_No time to dilly-dally_. Jack thought to himself, he was pretty sure he only had seconds to spare before they all break his door down, even when his ice magic was helping block it.

Quickly Jack worked on making it seem he had left the room through the window, opening it so wide and dusting the sill and its surrounding areas with snow and frost that would prove—without a doubt—that he had rushed through it. As soon as he was done with that, he squeezed himself inside the wardrobe, making sure not to leave any signs that he had touched it—which was a lot harder than Jack thought.

As he closed the wardrobe shut and added a little bit of ice magic to keep it that way, he heard the mob beating the door down.

_Holy crap! Seriously, what is wrong with them?_

"P-Please," muffled as it was, he heard Toothiana plead. "North won't be happy that you're tearing apart that door."

But her pleas fell on deaf ears. Whatever it was those spirits had eaten…or drunk…made them throw caution to the wind, and made Jack sick to his stomach, feeling queasy about the whole ordeal. It didn't take long after that before he heard his bedroom door break into pieces.

If Jack could sweat, he would have been doing so in buckets. His heart was beating so loudly that he was certain any one of the spirits with a heightened sense of hearing would be able to see past the illusion he had set up and find him hiding pathetically in the wardrobe.

Seconds passed that felt like forever before the mob of women voiced their disappointment that Jack was not in the room and another one pointed out the escape route he had taken. There was a lot of disgruntled mumbling, followed by planning a stake out and a trap for him, before one by one they left his room.

Jack, for his part, stayed hidden in the wardrobe a bit longer. He didn't want to risk going out and stumbling into some remnant of the women that were chasing him. He counted the seconds that passed by, and when he was absolutely certain no one was around anymore, he allowed himself a sigh of relief.

"Well, that was…interesting," Jack stiffened. He wasn't as alone as he thought. For a moment, Jack couldn't place the voice, but when it spoke again, he let himself relax. "They're gone now, Jack. You can come out."

Jack waved his magic off of the wardrobe before he opened it and stepped out, trying not to look too embarrassed about the whole escapade.

"Hey, Tooth," Jack tried to be as cheerful as possible (though he was certain it was impossible for anyone _not_ to notice the blush that was on his face) as he greeted her, finding her sitting with an amused look on her face, near the desk where he usually set about making ice sculptures.

"It seems you have garnered quite a lot of…fans," she teased, yet Jack couldn't get himself to lighten up around her. He was afraid that she would act as weirdly as the other women he had met throughout the night had.

"I…wouldn't call them that," Jack backed himself up near the open window. _I swear if Tooth decides to jump on me, I am out here._ His eyes flicked to the remnants of the door. "I actually am drawing a blank as to what to call them other than 'crazy'."

"Should I ask what that was all about?" The Queen of the Toothfairies raised an eyebrow.

"I was hoping someone else would enlighten me on that," Jack admitted. Then he looked at Toothiana, scrutinizing her. This, of course, made the Guardian of Memories feel self-conscious. "More importantly, uh…I have to know if you feel…um, I dunno, weird around me?"

"Why would I…?" Tooth looked utterly perplexed by the question. "Should I be?"

"No, no. Please, no." Another sigh escaped his lips. "It's just, every single female spirit I had come across ended up…well, breaking in to my room and forcing me to hide inside a wardrobe. Are North's parties always like this?"

"No. This is actually the first time. I have to admit, you're quite the charmer, getting so many respectable spirits to act like that. I've never heard Himiko or even Lilim to say speak so…crudely."

At Tooth's words, Jack blanched. She then couldn't help giggling at how Jack looked. She was so used to seeing him so confident, sometimes even obnoxious and cocky, it was strange to see him look just about ready to bolt.

"Let's pretend neither of us heard that. Better yet, I am going to pretend that none of that just happened." Jack said. A crooked smile then appeared on his face, the most genuine one he had given all night long. "I'm glad you're not acting like they are, Tooth. I actually have no idea what I would do if you suddenly started flirting with me like that…or giving some other…err, suggestions."

"Maybe I'm just acting that way to lower your defenses and I am actually planning on pouncing on you when your guard is down?" The Guardian of Memories' eyes glittered with concealed mischief that made Jack gulp.

"Uh…" was all he could say, as he backed up nearer to the window for an easy getaway.

Seeing him acting the way he did made Tooth laugh so hard she had tears forming in her eyes.

"Relax," she said in between fits of laughter. "I'm just kidding, Jack."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Ahaha, is it bad that I actually enjoyed writing this? Well, not that I didn't enjoy writing anything that had to do with Rise of the Guardians before.

Now, to explain a bit. In Cupid's Arrow, Eros had a certain respect for Jack Frost. While that respect still stands in this fanfic, I figured that there are times when Jack Frost grates another spirit's nerve without meaning to. His snowdays and blizzards, and his antics, I believe, can get in the way of the other spirits' job (like how it did with Eros).

I planned to write this a bit longer, but I decided to leave it at this point (maybe I'll continue it someday...maybe the next update, who knows?) but there is a reason why Toothiana seems immune to Eros' Love Dust. I've left a few hints here and there as to why those who had been affected, were affected.

Anyways, the spirits I used here are spirits that will make appearance on my "The Lost Spirits" fanfic (which I promise to update before the week ends). So, yeah...y'all will be hearing more about Eros, as well as the Dryad Sisters, Succubus, Lilith, and everyone else mentioned here. I may also have to change the title of this series since I am planning on making this an archive for all the short stories I will write for Rise of the Guardians. I just don't know what to call it at the moment, so I'll leave the title as is (if anyone has an idea on that, please do share).

Also, I already have a one-shot I'm working on (based on a request I got) about Jack and Bunnymund...so there's that.

Well, that's all for now. I do hope y'all enjoyed this. Please don't forget to review~!

Dream on; Fly on!


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